South Dakota average teacher pay has again joined Mississippi at the bottom of the national list. That average briefly jumped into the mid-40s on that list following the passage of a half cent sales tax in 2017 to pay for salary increases.

Representative Mike Stevens of Yankton says teacher pay needs constant attention from legislators..

Stevens, a member of the Education Committee, says many districts have been able to stay competitive….

The legislature agreed on a two-point four percent increase in state aid to education for the next school year. Stevens says that took some persuasion…

The states average for teacher pay is now just under forty-nine thousand dollars a year.